California finalizes seismic requirements for hospitals: 5 things to know

Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed earthquake retrofit requirements into law, and the legislation allows some hospitals to request an extension of the deadline, the Los Angeles Times reported on October 9.

1. The debate over earthquake requirements for California hospitals began in 1971 when the Sylmar earthquake near Los Angeles led to a new law requiring new hospitals to be built to withstand earthquakes and continue operating. In 1994, after the 6.7 magnitude Northridge earthquake, lawmakers required that existing facilities be upgraded by 2030.

2. More than 674 buildings in 251 licensed hospitals do not meet the second set of criteria. Hospitals lobbied the government to grant a five-year extension, but Newsom vetoed that in September. In his veto message, he wrote that a blanket five-year extension was not justified and that any extension approved should be limited, granted on a case-by-case basis and require hospitals to demonstrate need and a clear path to compliance.

“They've had 30 years to do this,” Kathy Kennedy, a nurse and president of the California Nurses Association, told the Times. “We postpone things year after year, and unfortunately, we will lose lives,” he added.

3. Mr. Newsom recently signed a bill allowing small, rural or “distressed” hospitals to get an extension of up to three years. The rest will be required to meet the standards by 2030.

“While hospitals are working to meet these requirements, many simply will not meet the 2030 deadline and state law will be forced to close,” Carmella Coyle, president and CEO of the California Hospital Association, wrote in a letter to Mr. Newsom before that. He vetoed the CHA bill.

4. A study conducted by Rand Corp. estimated… In 2019 the average cost of hospital rehabilitation will be more than $92 million per building. Costs could reach $34 billion to $143 billion across the state.

“It's expensive and complicated for hospitals — independent hospitals in particular,” Elizabeth Mahler, associate medical director at Alameda Health System in Oakland, California, told the Times. Alameda is undertaking a $25 million renovation of its hospital.

5. Small and rural hospitals can seek state assistance through grants funded by the California e-cigarette tax levy; However, this fund only brings in about $2 million to $3 million annually. The Small and Rural Hospital Relief Program received a single $50 million payment from a tax on health insurance companies that could be used for earthquake work, Andrew DeLucia, a spokesman for the Department of Health Care Access and Information, told the Times.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos